


Oops, Baby I Love You

by mirilik



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Alcohol, Basically this is a whole bunch of fluff, Blow Job, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Hand Job, Idiots in Love, Implied Anal Sex, M/M, an unbelievable amount of cuddling, mention of past Harry/OMC, mention of past Louis/OMC, really its sickening
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-10-13 01:46:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 18,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10503879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirilik/pseuds/mirilik
Summary: Louis thought it was an eventful 24 hours, where he partied his sorrows away after his boyfriend left him, he landed in bed with his best friend and flatmate, they decided to get together and broke up only hours later, because they were definitely better off as friends.What he didn't think was that he'd fall in love with said best friend and wouldn't like their decision all that much, if he really thought about it...or, a friends to lovers AU where Louis and Harry are idiots but still manage to get it right in the end





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I managed to end a one shot, wohoo! I hope your enjoy this fluffy monster of idiots in love but a few words first:  
> this is obviously inspired by the song Oops by Little Mix (great song, go listen to it!)  
> second: Jay appears in this story in several short scenes. she's protrayed as the loving mum and the best friend to Louis that she was but if you feel uncomfortable reading about her then this story might not be your cup of tea. 
> 
> all the mistakes you find in this are mine and i'm really sorry. i hope that you like my story and i would be happy if you'd leave a comment or kudos :)  
> xxxmirilik aka [ louis-arssets ](https://louis-arssets.tumblr.com/)

Louis was positively drunk. And there were several hints, that would proof this sentiment. The lights around him danced funnily, even when he closed his eyes, he himself danced funnily all by himself, which he never did, and last but not least did the tequila shot he just had taste actually _good_ and not as funny as usual. 

So, he was drunk but he also didn't really care. His boyfriend dumped him about forty-eight hours ago because Louis could allegedly _never take anything serious_.  
He’d been with George for six months and this time Louis really thought that this could be him. The one he would be together with until the end of time or until the sun would set the world on fire, whichever would come first. But, turned out that George was just another douche like the five boyfriends before him. 

It was not that Louis couldn't be alone or such, it was just that he really wanted to start a family right about that second, but apparently every guy in the UK wasn't appropriate enough. 

Louis opened his eyes, not sure when exactly he closed them and his view immediately fell onto a lanky person, throwing his arms wildly into the air. He giggled and quickly made his way over to the baby giraffe that was his best friend.

“Haz!” he yelled, still giggling. Of course over the loud music Harry wasn't able to hear him, so Louis pressed up to his broad back, slung his arms around his torso and managed to turn the younger boy around.

Harry was looking at him with shining eyes and red blotches all over his face. He probably wasn't any less drunk than Louis. 

“Lou!” he exclaimed happily and stopped moving altogether which brought Louis out of balance. 

“What are you doi-,” Louis slurred and was promptly interrupted.

Usually he would’ve criticized this as rude but any thought left his fuzzy mind as soon as he realized, that Harry stopped him by pressing his lips against Louis’ and started pulling him in by grabbing his arse. 

A deep groan left Louis’ throat and got straight up swallowed by his best friend ; the rest was lost between hot kisses and roaming hands, until it all went black. 

-

Louis woke up to a pounding headache and a sore arse. He groaned into the pillow and squinted his eyes to not get blinded by the annoying light that was shining through the windows. He slowly counted to twenty and then lifted his head. Another groan left his mouth, but at least was he then able to open his eyes a bit further.

His gaze wandered from left to right until it hit the white sheets of the lonely pillow next to him. He crinkled his forehead when he noticed the folded paper placed on top, the words _for the sleepy head_ neatly written in Harry’s loopy handwriting.  
A smile slipped involuntarily onto his face and he snuggled a bit deeper into the fluffy duvet before he started crawling forward with as little activity as possible. He huffed when he reached the pillow and tried to grab the note with his teeth but failed. 

Louis sighed, not wanting to leave his cocoon of heavenly smelling duvet, considering that he was also very much naked underneath. 

His curiosity won and he finally managed to quickly grab the note and then hide back in the warmth, this time pulling the sheets over his head. He turned onto his back, folded the blanket around his feet and then inspected the note Harry left him.

_hi lou! as i have told you - and as you have probably forgotten - do i have to work today which is why i have to leave you with my blanket (thanks for not sharing btw). anyways. i will be back at around noon-ish and i will bring take out, so feel free to nurse your hangover in my bed.  
love you xx h_

A fat grin split Louis’ face into two after he finished reading and with a big sigh did he plonk himself back onto the pillow, changed the position of the duvet just so he could stuck his nose out for breathing purposes and closed his eyes. This was why Harry was his absolute favourite and the best of friends. It was always easy with them, always comfortable which was also the reason why he wasn’t freaking the hell out. Because, yeah, he may have slept with his best friend (his aching bum and the nakedness was proof enough) but he was more than sure that they could work it out smoothly. He knew that Harry and him both thought that their friendship was the top priority in both of their lives, and there was literally nothing that could change that. 

\- -

The second time Louis woke up on that day was because of the sudden heavy weight that pushed him deeper into the mattress. When he opened his eyes he wasn’t blinded by the light, since it was nicely hidden behind a bunch of brown curls, tumbling over his face. He inhaled deeply, smelling the rose shampoo that he bought Harry only last week, since he emptied his last bottle. (He likes to smell nice and Harry is the master of smelling nice, so sue him.)

With a satisfied hum Louis turned onto his back, Harry still lying on him like a dead weight. This time he didn’t hesitate to wiggle his arms from under the duvet and instead slung them over the younger boy on top of him, cuddling him onto his chest.

“Hi Haz,” he mumbled, placing a kiss somewhere on top of his head.

He felt how Harry shifted until he could stuck his nose into the crook of Louis’ neck and place his own little kiss there. “Hi Lou. Sleep well?”

Harry’s deep voice rumbled through Louis’ body, making him shiver. “Yeah,” he answered easily. “How was work?”

“Alright. Only got yelled at once because I forgot to use soya milk for one coffee. She said she won’t come back to our store.”

Louis couldn’t help but to roll his eyes. He buried his right hand into Harry’s curls, massaging his scalp and earned a kitten like purr in return. 

“Did you tell her, that it wasn’t soya?”

“Hmm,” Harry hummed in confirmation, nudging Louis’ hand when he stopped petting him. 

“Shouldn’t have done that. Bet she wouldn’t even have tasted it that it wasn’t soya.”

“Probably.”

“But of course you’re way too honest for that.”

“Probably.”

Louis giggled at Harry’s completely indifferent voice. He couldn’t understand how the younger boy managed to stay this friendly and confident around a bunch of stressed out wannabe businesspeople while Louis regularly flipped some of his customers off when they were rude. Yes, he worked at a bar where something like that was actually alright, considering that his customers were mostly drunk of their arses but still. Harry was a saint.

“You're a saint, Hazza.”

“I know. Also, I brought lunch. Let’s stuff our faces with greasy food,” Harry now grinned at him and shifted to get up.

“That sounds al- ah!” Louis’ voice turned into an embarrassing half-moan when Harry’s knee efficiently bumped into his cock through the blanket. He felt how the blush creeped onto his face, all the way up to the tip of his ears which only made Harry laugh in return. 

He threw his head back into his neck, his mouth wide open and that stupid, honking laugh echoed through the otherwise peaceful bedroom. 

Louis coughed awkwardly and then easily pushed Harry onto his back so he could stand up and walk out of the door, aiming for his room to get fresh clothes. The younger man didn’t really seem to care that Louis was running around starkers, his bum cheeks wiggling with every step (which only slightly offended Louis; he had a very good bum, ok? It deserved some attention).

“We should probably talk about this!” Harry called through the small flat, after he finally calmed down enough to get off the bed and out of his room.

“Yes!” Louis yelled back, pulling his softest joggers out of his closet. “But first greasy food!”

“Already on it, Lou. You want to watch _Love Actually_?” 

_Yeah_ , Louis thought while he grabbed Harry’s lilac jumper from his bed and made his way towards the living room, _nothing’s going to change_.

\- -

“So he really broke up with you, huh?” Harry asked, licking the grease of his middle finger. The way he was hollowing his cheeks left Louis a bit speechless until he felt a glob of melted cheese landing on his (Harry’s) jumper.

“Shit,” he mumbled and quickly peeled the cheese off to suck it into his mouth. 

“Wow,” he heard Harry say in a deadpanned voice. “You’ve never been sexier, Lou.” He grinned.

“Shut up,” Louis grumbled and sat up straighter. He stuffed the last piece of pizza between his lips and chewed obnoxiously before he looked back over towards his flatmate, who was sprawled over the couch, legs carelessly thrown over Louis’. “And yeah, I guess.”

“Hm. Second time? Third time?”

Louis snorted, a smile once again tugging at his lips. “Second time, thank you very much. To be honest you’re not really good at this making-your-dumped-best-friend-feel-better-thingy. 

“To be honest, though, you don’t seem very sad to me.”

Louis nodded. “I am not.”

“Good.”

“Yeah.”

“So… why did he break up?”

He sighed. “Because I am apparently not serious enough for this. He says that he knows that I want to start a family soon but I don’t seem even remotely ready to take responsibility for myself, much less for a child. “

“Didn’t he say that the last time he broke up with you?”

“Yep. And I told him I would change.”

“Which you apparently haven’t.”

“Apparently not, yes.”

“Bummer.”

“Harold,” Louis laughed, helpless against the semi-serious face Harry had put on. “Shut up!”

Harry rolled his eyes and then sat up, untangling his legs from Louis’.

“I am serious, Louis. It’s a real pity that you and George split up. Again.”

“Harryyyy!”, he whined and tried to kick his best friend, but Harry easily caught his foot in one of his giant hands. “I know you hated him.”

“Well,” Harry said, grin slipping onto his face. “I wouldn’t say hate-”

“Yeah, I would say hate.”

“Alright, yeah. That guy is a douchebag. He would never chill with us, heck he never even bothered to get to know Niall and Liam, your best friends, and he doesn’t like cake, Louis! Who the fuck doesn’t like cake?”

“Should’ve been the first warning sign right at the beginning, huh?” Louis contemplated, thoughts wandering back to the day he first brought George home into their flat and Harry spend the night before in the kitchen to create a new Louis-has-a-boyfriend-cake. He would probably never quite forget the face Harry made when George told him that he doesn’t like any kind of cake and asked him if they had some kind of yoghurt instead. Louis laughed for fifteen minutes straight the next day, after his boyfriend had left.

Harry nodded wildly. 

“Anyways. I am not sad, so. Whatever, right?”

“Yeah, whatever.”  
\- -

They continued watching _Love Actually_ quite peacefully until Louis noticed Harry staring at him from across the couch. 

“We should talk, right?” he asked, already gripping the remote to turn the volume down.

“Yes we should. So. We had sex last night.”

Louis nodded, slowly. He tried to fight the blush already sneaking back onto his face. “Do you - erm, do you remember any of it? Because, to be honest, the last thing I remember is us dancing together and suddenly making out like horny teenagers.”

Harry laughed, which made also Louis relax back into the cushions. Right, this was _Harry_ he was talking to. 

“I’m about the same. I’m just glad you know that we slept together. I only found out this morning when I found you naked next to me and a used condom at the foot of the bed.” He scrunched his nose in slight disgust, which yeah. Wasn’t probably the nicest thing to wake up to. The condom - not a naked Louis.

“Believe me, it would’ve slipped my mind, but my bum didn’t really forget.”

Once again the honking laugh left Harry’s mouth, making him nearly slip of the couch. “Now that is a nice compliment.”

“Don’t get too cocky, I still forgot the whole act of it. But hey, we did have save sex, yey drunk-us!”

“Yeah, right. I’m glad we didn’t forget. I mean, I’m clean and all, but I never - you know.”

“Me neither,” Louis nodded, really feeling a little proud of them. 

“So, what do we do with this?” Harry then asked and yeah.

“Good question. I mean, I don’t want anything to change, right? You’re my best friend and I love you and I don’t want that anything is between us, alright?” Suddenly he did feel a bit nervous. His hands had wandered together, his fingers now squeezing each other until they turned white. 

“No, no me neither, Lou. I love you, too, you know that,” Harry smiled. “But I also thought about something.”

“Okay?” Louis asked, fingers untangling again.

“Yeah, so. We’re best friends, right?”

“Correct.”

“And we love each other.”

“We do, yes.”

“And we are both single.”

“As a pringle. Or two pringles, probably.”

“And, you know, we are really tactile with each other, you know how Niall always complains that we should keep our hands to ourselves?”

“ _Can’t keep my hands to myself_!” Louis started lowly singing under his breath and knew that Harry heard as soon as he saw the dimple forming in his cheeks.

“Yeah, Selena probably wrote that hymn for us. Whatever, so if we put all of this together, and now add the fact that we snogged like horny teenagers and then apparently fucked last night, could it be that we’re basically in a relationship?”

“That-”, is ridiculous, was what Louis wanted to laugh first, but then he actually thought about the words that just came out of Harry’s mouth and- “is very well possible, actually.”

“Right?” Harry nodded wildly, curls flopping into his face. Such a ridiculous person.

“I mean, yeah, I do see your point. So what do you suggest?”

“Well,” Harry coughed, blush then also creeping onto his face. “What if we just try it? The whole shebang. Kissing, sex, holding hands and all that crap. And if it works, perfect, because Lou I think I’ve never been more in tune with anyone than you and if not we just get back to normal, yeah? Back to best friends. That is actually something you have to promise me. That we’ll always be best friends first and foremost. Doesn’t matter what happens, deal?”

Louis grinned and stretched his hand towards his best friend - or boyfriend then. “Deal.”

Harry smiled, dimple popping once again and engulfed Louis’ dainty hand with his own.

Getting into a relationship has never been that easy.

\- -

It was two hours later when they arrived in front of a cute café in the north of London. Harry luckily remembered right on time that they had plans with Harry’s older sister Gemma und Louis’ oldest little sister Lottie. Lottie had been in town for a few days, since she was visiting a makeup class or some type of workshop and because her boyfriend, Tommy, had to go back up north did Gemma invite her to spend the last night at her place. Louis and Harry both assured countless of times that they had enough space in their flat for Lottie, but she had happily declined. She wanted to stay with Gemma and at first Louis didn’t know if he should feel devastated that his little sister didn’t want to spend time with him or if he should laugh because apparently did the Styles’ have some kind of gene that let Tomlinsons appear on their doormat and held them captive. 

So they decided to meet up, of course and Louis was actually pretty excited to finally see his little Lotts again but the whole story of getting dumped, getting drunk and getting a new boyfriend (who used to be his best friend) made him a little woozy and he simply forgot. 

“This is why I keep up with you, because you never forget these things,” Louis mumbled while he squinted his eyes and tried to see something through the window. He could see both of their sisters sitting at a small table a bit further in the back, right next to a big window. Lottie was laughing about something and Louis felt his own smile slip onto his face. He had really missed his little sister. 

“Thank you, how nice of you to say,” Harry said, seemingly unbothered. He stepped up next to Louis and waited patiently until the older boy turned his head to look at him. “Hey Lou, do we - do we tell them right away?” 

“Oh,” Louis said, eyes widening. He totally forgot that they kind of had to tell people, right? At least friends and family. He actually never told his family that George broke up with him, since it was only three days ago. So how would they react when they got to know that he already got a new boyfriend? And Harry of all people. He sighed. “I think we should tell them, yeah. You know, like a sticky plaster. Just rip it off and get it over with.”

“Why, thank you for all this excitement.” Harry stuck his tongue out, making Louis laugh. 

“Shut up, you know I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Now c’mon before they see us lurking in front of the window like some big ass creeps.”

Louis nodded and turned, feeling slightly better when he felt Harry’s hand on the small of his back, guiding him inside and towards their table.

\- -

“So they decided to film me. _Me_ , Lou, can you imagine? Like, it’s my face on their instagram account with more than thirty thousand followers. _I_ already gained three thousand followers through that.”

“So, I guess that you had fun, Lotts?” Louis said, a little helpless. His sister had been talking for a full half hour and only about her days at the makeup school and of course did Louis listen closely, being the good big brother he was but really. He had no fucking clue what she was talking about. He did like it, when she put that glittery stuff onto his eyes that one night, but that was literally it what he had to do with makeup. Maybe he should look it up a bit, so he could have proper talks with his little sisters and stuff. He sighed internally. Being a big brother was hard sometimes. (He loved every second of it.)

“Fun is like the understatement of the century, but yes, Lou, I had fun.” Lottie grinned and took a sip of her coffee. “So how’s George, then?”  
And yep, they hadn’t had any chance to get to this subject yet. His gaze immediately flickered towards Harry who sat completely still next to him, staring into his own coffee. Now what good help that was.

“Well,” Louis started. “He is… good, I guess.”

“You guess?” Gemma then started to intervene and great, now he was right in the center of both their sister’s attention. 

“I - I mean. Yeah, I guess.”

“Why don’t you know how your boyfriend is, Lewis?” Gemma continued, eyebrows raised.

“I hate it when you call me that,” he grumbled petulantly and he was pretty sure that he heard Harry snort next to him.

“Louis,” Lottie said seriously and really, when did she get so … stern? God, his baby sister was growing up. 

He sighed. “Well, we broke up. Are you happy now?”

While Gemma’s eyes only widened a bit, did Lottie honestly slap her hand against her forehead. “Why this time, Lou?” she asked, not even bothering to look at him.

“You aren’t nice,” Louis pouted but continued talking anyway. “Actually same reason as before. But well, I don’t really care.”

“Of course you don’t,” Gemma said and now that just wasn’t fair. He looked over towards Harry, hoping for at least little bit of support.

“Well,” Harry coughed, sitting up slightly in his plush chair. “That guy _didn’t_ like cake, after all.”

“Thank you, Harold, for that great contribution.”

“What?” Harry then pouted in Louis’ direction. This whole conversation was a mess.

“Really you both need to shut up,” Gemma intervened and when Louis faced forward again he saw both women sitting with their arms crossed in front of their chests. 

“Rude,” Harry mumbled and Louis could only nod. 

“No, it’s true. You both are literally too.. I don’t know.”

“Too childish,” Lottie helped Gemma out, who smiled appreciatively. 

“Hold on, you, Charlotte, seven years younger than me are telling me than I am acting childish?”

“Yes, dear brother,” she only said, taking another sip from her coffee.

“She’s right, you know. You both are literally unable to be in a relationship. I don’t know how you do it but you manage to mock it up in record time. Really I already pity both of your next victims, since you two always seem to go out with a smile.”

“I- I don’t even know what to say,” Harry grumbled next to Louis and he once again only nodded in confirmation. “That was a lot.”

Louis saw how Gemma’s face softened, both girls now no longer having their arms crossed. “Look, I don’t want to offend or hurt you both. We want you to be happy. But maybe you just have to find yourselves, before you jump headfirst into the next imprudent relationship. Okay?”

A cold shower seemed to run down Louis’ spine, especially when he saw the soft look in Lottie’s eyes.The thing was he deeply felt the girls’ concern for him and Harry and he couldn’t say a thing that would make it better. 

He cautiously turned his head towards Harry who had been just as silent as him for the last two minutes, or so. Harry’s eyes quickly searched for his, then his gaze dropped back onto the table and he shook his head just that tiny bit. 

Louis nodded.

“Maybe you’re right.”

\- -

The fairy lights shined from the hallway wall through the slightly ajar door into Louis’ bedroom. Louis watched the little twinkle from time to time, remembering the day of their moving in three years ago, when the first thing Harry had pulled out of one of his cardboard boxes were said fairy lights and immediately grabbed a hammer and nails to hang them on the wall. 

“A home needs to be cozy, Lou. Otherwise it won’t be home,” he had said with a determined look on his face and Louis had only smiled, leaning with his shoulder against the same wall and watched his new flatmate. 

“I’m sure this will feel like home in no time,” he answered after a while and Harry's smile was so big and blinding that Louis still felt that little tug at his heart. 

He turned his head to the left to watch Harry instead of the lights. The younger boy lay next to him on his bed, both on their backs and Harry with his eyes closed. They had been silent the whole way home and into Louis’ room. He didn’t know how long they’ve actually layn like that but he didn’t really care either.

Louis let his gaze wander over Harry’s seemingly peaceful face, his closed eyes, smooth skin and his plump lips. He watched his dark curls looking smooth and shiny against the white sheets of his bed and the slight furrow of his brows.

“I should probably go to bed,” Harry suddenly said, opened his eyes and sat up. Louis remained in his position, continuing to watch closely. “Aren’t you tired?”

“Only a little.”

“Oh,” Harry sighed, barely audible. “Okay then. I’m gonna go though. Have- have a good night.”

With another sigh swung Harry his legs over the bed so that his feet touched the ground and he could get up. He walked slowly towards the door, his movements looking heavy and tired.

“Hey Haz,” Louis said, leaning up unto his elbows.

“Hm?”

“I - we said, that we’re alright, yeah? So only because we should let this boyfriend thing go, doesn’t mean that we aren’t ok. We - we kind of promised that.” There was a slight tremor in his voice and Louis hated that. He’d never been unsure of his and Harry’s friendship. His worries became a little less dangerous when he saw how Harry’s shoulders relaxed and he turned around once more to look at Louis.

“Of course we are, Lou. You are my best friend and I love you. I am just tired, you know? But we are alright. We always are and we always will be.”

“Good,” Louis smiled, the first smile since their little café catastrophe. “Can I have a cuddle then? Afterwards you are allowed to got to bed.” 

“How could I ever say no to a cuddle, hm?” Harry said, his tone only slightly teasing, but Louis didn’t care. He just sat all the way up and opened his arms until he felt Harry’s hands on his neck and the small of his back, his chin hooked over his shoulder and his curls tickling his face. 

“Good night, Haz.”

“G’night, Lou.”

When Harry had closed the door behind himself and Louis was ready for bed, already lying under the duvet did he make a decision for once and for all: This was the first time that he was unsure of his and Harry’s friendship and it would definitely be the last.

\- -

Louis was wiping the counter in front of him, when a pair of skinny arms slung around his waist and he got pulled into another body. 

“Hi Lou,” Niall mumbled into his ear and placed a kiss onto the side of his neck. 

“Hey Neil, how’s it going?” Louis asked nonchalantly, easily continuing to remove all the sticky beer from the wooden bar counter. 

“‘m okay. How are you?” Niall asked, cheek now resting at the top of Louis’ back. 

“Fine. You know, would be even better if I wouldn’t have a clingy leprechaun plastered onto my back but I’ll manage.”

Niall let go with a huff and a slap to Louis’ shoulder. “I was trying to comfort you, you bloody prick.”

Louis turned around, getting a first good look onto one of his best friends. Niall tried to look stern, but that boy couldn’t lie if his life depended on it and the upward tilt of his lips proofed that much. 

“And why would you do that, my dearest Nialler?” Louis asked, hand placed onto his hip and counter forgotten. The bar wasn’t too full anyway. It was a slow Tuesday night, already after ten and they would close in about fifteen minutes. Louis was probably allowed to take a break.

“Well,” Niall started eyes darting from left to right to explicitly not look into Louis’. “I mean, after George broke up with you and all.”

Louis sighed, lifted his eyebrows to give Niall a pointed look and turned back around. Break was over. 

“Aren’t you going to say anything to that?” the blond continued to pester him and swung his skinny arse onto the already cleaned part of the bar counter. 

“Nothing to say, really. He broke up with me, I am over it, case closed.”

“Hm,” Niall sighed and Louis could see in the corner of eyes how he swung his legs back and forth. 

“What is it, that you really want to tell me, Neil?” Louis asked, face focused back on his friend.

“It’s just, I don’t know. Are you happy, Lou?”

Now that was an interesting question. “Where is all of this coming from?”

“No, I just mean. Your last relationships have never lasted much longer than six months and I don’t particularly think that you seem sad or something after a break-up, so we thought about why you still continue to date all of these guys. If you were really happy within the relationship you would’ve been more sad and if you were really happy alone you wouldn’t have so many meaningless relationships. We’re just worried, you know?”

A small smile slipped onto Louis’ face. He definitely had some good friends. “So it’s we then, Neil? Did you lose a bet that you have to talk to me and not Li?”

Niall rolled his eyes, hopping back down. “No. He’s paying for the next lad’s night.”

“Of course he is.”

“Anyways. You haven’t answered any of my questions.”

“Niall. There honestly isn’t much to answer. I’m happy, I really am. You know I want to have a family and such so I would have to have a partner for that, right?”

“Sure,” Niall nodded, face uncharacteristically serious. “But I still think you’re doing it the wrong way. Have you been in love with any of these guys?”

“I-”

“Be honest, Lou.”

Louis pressed his lips together, his eyes darting towards the entrance of the bar, where his shift manager was busy kicking out the last drunk group of the night. He tried to think back to the feelings he had when he was with George, or Alexander or Kyle. He doesn’t think that he was ever in love, though.

“I don’t think so, no” he said slowly, still staring at the doors. 

“Yeah, so.”

“But you’re not always immediately in love with the person you’re together with. I mean love is a big fucking thing and it just evolves with the time, right? There’s nothing like love at first sight.”

“Well, if you ask me, I am very much in love with Melissa, so. And I’ve been from the first minute.”

Finally Louis’ gaze slipped back to Niall, who was smiling at him like someone who was indeed talking about the person they loved.

“But are you sure it was love? Like, Harry said something that you can be infatuated with someone from the first minute and then love comes afterwards. I think that sounds reasonable.”

Niall laughed, a small private laugh. “Since when are feelings reasonable, Louis?”

“Since when are you so deep and shit? Why aren’t you drinking beer and cackling like a crazy person, as you normally do?” Louis countered. Somehow he didn’t like this serious talking. First his sister and Gemma and now Niall, in the span of three days. Probably because christmas was around the corner; people always tend to get mushy then.

“Just wanted to help, Louis. Now c’mon, end your shift and then let’s go to yours and see who can annoy Harry first.”

“You’re on, Nialler.”

\- -

“Look, Liam, I am not interested, alright? I appreciate your offer but I want to decline. End of discussion.”

Harry’s loud voice boomed through to Louis and Niall, as soon as they pushed the front door a tad open. They looked at each other with raised eyebrows, not used to this tone in Harry’s voice. 

“I think Liam may have already won that round, mate,” Niall whispered. Louis nodded.

“Should we leave?” he asked, a slight grin on his face.

“Lou?” 

“Okay scratch that,” Louis mumbled and only a second later did Harry appear in front of them, curls a wild mess, red cheeks and eyes wide in desperation. 

“I am so happy you’re here,” Harry continued, not noticing the hesitation in Louis and Niall’s behaviour. Instead he just closed the remaining gap between them and threw his arms around Louis’ neck. “You have to save me from Liam,” he mumbled. 

“Alright, you big baby, what’s up?” Louis said, already a soothing note in his voice.

“I’m gonna grab a beer, cheers lads.” Niall skipped around them and into the living room with the connected kitchen. 

“Liam is horrible,” Harry softly cried into his skin and although Louis was pretty sure that his best friend was exaggerating could he not stop his finger to weave themselve through Harry’s curls, loosening the knots. 

“C’mon let me just get some clothes that don’t stink like pub and then we’ll get comfortable and talk this out alright?”

With a heartbreaking sniffle did Harry nod and finally extracted his arms. He wasn’t really crying of course and Louis could only shake his head.

“And they say I’m the dramatic one.”

 

That earned him a blinding smile, Harry’s dimple popping. “Learned from the best, didn’t I?”

\- -

Louis sat down on the couch, eyes squinted in the direction of Liam who, snuggled in a blanket, sat on the floor, controller for their PS4 in hand. 

When Louis joined the three lads after changing into comfy clothes - adidas joggers and once again one of Harry’s big jumpers - did Liam only grunt as a greeting after Louis yelled a chipper: “Hi Li!”

Then they just continued to watch Liam play a mission on GTA V and otherwise sat in silence. It was half past one in the morning and Louis actually had classes starting at 8am. The thought of skipping crept into his head but he tried to ignore any uni-related thoughts. He watched how Harry moved around on the couch until he was able to tangle his legs with Louis’ and let out a contented sigh. 

Only when Liam finally managed to end the mission (after his fourth attempt) got Louis to know why Harry was so upset before.

“So, did you think about it, H? I really think that it would help you,” Liam said, voice relaxed but with eyebrows raised.

Louis felt how Harry tensed, his legs basically trapping him on the furniture.

“There is literally nothing to think about, Liam. I already said no,” Harry said view trained on his fingers that started playing with the seam of his joggers. 

“I just-”

“Excuse me, Liam?” Louis interrupted, silencing his friend with a meaningful stare. “May I just ask what this is all about? I feel a little left out.”

“Yeah! Same, bro. Also why is there no popcorn if we already have to watch this?” Niall grinned cheekily but Louis just rolled his eyes, fond smile nevertheless on his face.

“Liam wants to set me up on a blind date,” Harry mumbled and Louis was surprised that he didn’t snap anything in his face, considering how fast his eyebrows shot up.

“What?” he asked.

“Yes, and I don’t actually see the problem. Friends are wingmen all the time,” Liam protested.

“Sure, Li, but if he doesn’t want to date though?”

“Thank you, Niall,” Harry nodded gratefully, eyes on the blond boy.

“But,” Liam continued, apparently preaching to all their senses. “Harry dates all the time, where’s the harm in one more?”

“I just don’t want to, Liam. I appreciate your offer but I am simply not interested in dating of any kind right now.”

Louis watched how Harry’s brows slipped together, a deep cleft forming between them; his lips pressed together and jaw tensed.

“I really think that you have to accept that, Li,” he said carefully and subtly placed a hand on Harry’s leg that was hidden behind his own in their tangle of limbs. Just a second later did Harry’s finger close around his palm and he felt how his best friend started to relax back into the cushion.

“I’m sorry, Haz, I didn’t mean to… offend you or anything. I just want you to be happy,” Liam mumbled, looking like a discarded teddy-bear. 

“I know, Li, I’m just - god I’m actually really tired right now.” A big yawn followed which Niall and Liam took as their cue to pack their things and go.

Louis observed from the hallway how Liam and Harry embraced tightly, Liam whispering something and Harry nodding along.

Louis was happy that they resolved their little tension, but he was even happier when the door fell closed and Harry’s attention was back on him. 

They stared at each other for a few seconds, nobody saying a word. Louis watched how a small smile formed on his best friend’s face and how his whole demeanor changed into something more comfortable and at ease.

“Hey Lou,” the other boy mumbled after a while, breaking the silence that laid over the whole apartment. 

“Hm?”

“Can I…”

He didn’t end his sentence but Harry’s motion with his head towards the door was enough. 

“Of course, Haz. See you in bed in a minute.”

“Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

\- - 

Louis quickly washed his face and teeth and then slipped into his dark bedroom. He slid into bed, under the right corner of the covers, where they barely touched the wall his bed stood next to.  
While he made himself comfortable was Harry completely still. His face was buried into the duvet, his back turned towards the middle of the bed and therefore Louis. He knew that Harry wasn’t asleep but he didn’t know if he wanted to talk either. 

Louis plugged in his phone next to the bed so it could charge during the night and then finally settled down, watching the steady rise and fall of the duvet in the rhythm of Harry’s breaths.

“Cuddle me, please?”

A tiny snort left Louis’ mouth but he was easy to comply. He shuffled forward, closing the little distance between them and then slung one arm over Harry’s waist and gently placed the other under Harry’s neck. That arm would probably be in pins and needles in about ten minutes but he wouldn’t think of that in this moment.

“You ok, Haz?” he asked instead, burying his nose in the crook of his neck. 

“Hm.” The affirmation rumbled deeply through both of their bodies, making goosebumps erupt all over Louis’ body. 

“Good, I’m glad,” he said sleepily and closed his eyes. He didn’t need to know the details of Harry’s sudden neediness and the slightly unusual behaviour from before. Not right then, at least. As long as his best friend was feeling fine, he could go to sleep as well.

“Thank you for letting me stay.”

“You already thanked me, Haz.”

“Still. I- I just-”

Louis tightened his grip around Harry’s waist and placed a soft kiss into his neck. “You don’t have to tell me anything, Harry. It’s alright. I sleep better with you anyway.”

He actually not meant to say that, but fuck it. He was tired and warm and comfy and Harry smelled _really_ good.

“Me too. I sleep better with you too, Lou.”

“Good. Sleep tight, Hazza.”

“You too, Boobear - ow!”

Louis snickered, soothing his hand over the bruise that he just pinched into Harry’s hip. “Serves you right, dickhead.”

“Shut up, you love me.”

“Maybe tomorrow again.”

“Well then. Good night, Lou.”

Louis felt how Harry tangled their fingers together on top of his hip and then he was quickly asleep, stressful day of uni and work finally leaving his bones. 

\- -

Louis woke up to something tickling his eyebrow. He knew that it was way too early to be awake, he didn’t want to open his eyes or move his arms, which were deeply snuggled into the warm duvet of his bed. So he tried scrunching his nose, making the tickling somehow go away until it suddenly stopped and the soft touch wandered further down to the side of his face. Something was now stroking the skin under Louis eye, a touch so light and just all in all soft that a warm wave of something good was floating through his body.

“Lou,” Harry’s raspy morning voice echoed sweetly through the room. Louis still didn’t want to open his eyes; somehow didn’t want to know how Harry was looking at him while caressing his face with the softest of touches. “Louis, it’s six forty-five. You have class at eight.”

Louis scrunched his nose once again and yawned. “‘m not going today,” he finally mumbled which resulted in losing Harry’s touching. A slight disappointment started to settle in his gut.

“Oh,” Harry sighed, tone ungraspable. “Ok, good.” 

“Yeah,” Louis sighed back and then moved forward until he could place his head straight onto Harry’s chest, feeling the warm skin on skin, his arm once again slung over Harry’s waist. He felt how Harry quietly rearranged the duvet, pulling it higher up over Louis’ shoulders and then moved a hand into Louis’ mop of hair, massaging his scalp. 

Louis didn’t know how long Harry did that before he, too, fell back asleep but it was definitely one of the best mornings Louis had in awhile. They were in the same position three hours later when Louis slowly blinked himself awake, then also one of Harry’s arms tightly slung over Louis’ back, cuddling them as close as possible. 

Louis really didn’t want to get up that morning.

\- -

Louis was sure. His head was only a fraction away from exploding all over the toy cupboard in front of him. 

It was the 20th December, he and Harry would leave for their hometown in two days and he still had no gift for the youngest set of twins. He was all set for the rest; he had a framed picture of him and the lads in front of a beautifully decorated christmas tree in his and Harry’s flat for his mum (she wouldn’t allow him to buy anything so he figured she might like that - she is his mum after all so she should like his face and the people that take good care of him), a 365-days-calendar with funny quotes and cartoons for Dan (because he is that person who tries to make dad-jokes cool), a glittery and still professional looking notebook for Lottie so that she could put down all of her important business meetings she will probably have because of her sudden makeup-instagram-fame or whatever, a book filled with old and modern English poetry for Fizzy, matching scarfs for Daisy and Phoebs and a mug with a picture of him and Harry taken on one of the many pub nights they had with the boys printed on one side and the words _Oops_ and _Hi_ in their respective handwriting on the back for Harry.  
Personally he thought that this one was particularly genious because Harry loved tea, he always cried for cute friendship pictures of him and Louis and he loved to crack up about how they met in kindergarten when they stood next to each other in the bathroom and Harry accidentally peed on him. Everybody always laughed when they heard the story because it was so ridiculous but Louis was pretty sure that nobody could’ve actually been mad in that situation when there was a tiny, curly-haired and red-cheeked boy in front of you, looking at them with big green eyes and muttering an embarrassed “Oops” into their face. The only natural solution was to answer a chipper _Hi_ and be friends forever. Or until this day at least and Louis was not planning on letting that boy go anytime soon.

Back to the real problem though, did Louis not have any present for Ernie and Doris. He knew that Doris was all into cars right now and he was looking for a nice one, which you could open doors of and could speed around with and that would not break as soon as you would look at it in a strange way. Turned out that that was easier said than done.  
He’s been standing in front of that shelf for about twenty minutes and he still hadn’t had a clue which car would be the right car. And on top of that did he not know what Ernie would like. Sure, the twins were only two and would probably love him no matter what he got them but still, he wanted it to be perfect. He saw the two munchkins way too little and he wanted them to have a great christmas.

He sighed loudly and suddenly a body appeared next to him. For a split second he thought that it would be Harry (his traitorous best friend and roommate who said that he didn’t have time for christmas shopping and if Louis would’ve listened to him then he would’ve finished said christmas shopping weeks ago - well Louis didn’t and now there he was) who would come and rescue him, but when he turned with a hopeful shining in his eyes was there indeed a curly haired man next to him, but one with blue eyes and no dimples. 

“Can I help you?” the chipper young lad asked him and just then did Louis realise that the man was wearing the staff uniform and had a name tag on the blue vest.

“Er, sure, Luke,” Louis mumbled and tried to not look too disappointed. “I’m looking for a car.”

“Well, you should probably go to a car salesman, right?” Luke snickered next to him.

“Yeah, ha,” Louis said obviously not entertained. He nearly felt sorry for the guy, since he seemed really inclined on making this shopping experience the best Louis could have but he really had a headache. “I meant more of a toy car. Something that won’t break too easily?”

“Sure,” Luke complied, grin still plastered on his face. “What age?”

“Two.”

“Alright, then we should probably head further down, there are the toys for the younger kids. Does the little guy have any specific favourites? Police, firefighter, soldiers?”

Louis tried to minimize his death stare to as subtle as possible. “The little _guy_ is my little sister and she does not. Maybe I just should look myself thanks.”

Luke lifted his arms, hands in front of his chest. “Hey sorry, mate. Wasn’t meaning to offend or anything. It’s just that most of the cars we sell are later gifted to boys, so.”

“Yeah well, maybe you should just stop assuming things, Lukey. Because know what, little kids don’t care about this gender bulshit people like to pressure on them, right?! They want to play and if a girl wants to play with cars that’s fine and if a boy wants to have a new dress for his barbie then that’s also fine, think about that.”

The assistant definitely didn’t look as shocked or embarrassed as he should have for Louis’ liking. Instead was there still a smile on his face just a little more - flirty? Louis raised his eyebrows.

“Wow, you look pretty hot when you’re lecturing someone, you know that?”

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah, hey what do you think of an apology-drink after I end my shift? You could tell me more about all those interesting things.”

A hand landed on Louis’ forearm and it only took him about half a second to snap out of it.

“I - I have to go,” he mumbled and then quickly left the toy store, his headache still pounding against his temples and his mood even worse since he still had no christmas gifts for his siblings.

\- -

 

Tears were streaming down Harry’s face. His hair was standing up from his head in wild ribbon-like shapes, his cheeks red and blotchy, his long, lean body cramped up in uncontrollable laughter.

Louis couldn’t actually see that since he was lying on his back on the couch, feet propped up on a cushion and a cold, wet flannel on his forehead and eyes. But he could hear him. Laughing while walking from the living space towards the kitchen to rummage around in one of the cupboards, while turning on the kettle and turning off the kettle, pouring boiling water into two mugs and then carrying them back over to the couch. 

“A-and,” another wave of laughter spilled through the room, “and then he asked you- oh fuck - he asked you out?” 

Louis would have slapped him. He definitely would’ve. He wanted to. But it was that he was lying quite comfortably and the cold towel that Harry brought him made his heachache finally resolve into a little thumping behind his closed eyes. 

“Yes,” he croaked out, still not amused though. 

“This is the best thing I’ve heard all week.”

Louis heard how Harry placed the mugs onto their coffee table and then soft, strong hands lifted his head and upper body. When he was moved back down his head landed on a thick pillow in Harry’s lap, one of his big hands immediately smoothed his hair back and rearranged the flannel. He slipped his fingers between Louis’ fluffy strands of hair and started gently massaging his scalp.

“How is the headache?”

“Better,” he cried softly, always bathing in the attention of his best friend. “God that was so weird.”

“Hm,” Harry hummed. “Weird because that guy was weird or weird in general?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Harry mumbled, index finger now drawing circles into Louis’ hair. “Was it weird that he asked you out? I mean if that would’ve been an absolutely fit - let’s say if that would have been David Beckham. Would your answer have been something else?”

“Well of course, it’s David Beckham.” 

He didn’t open his eyes but he made a dramatic motion with his hand. It definitely _felt_ dramatic.  
“But what does he have to do with everything?”

“Noooo,” Harry whined, his massaging stopped altogether. “Lou, be serious. I just mean if you’re just like in general don’t go on dates. You know because of our sisters and because of, well, me?”

“Hm. I didn’t really think about that. With all this christmas stuff coming up I didn’t really think about dating at all. Why, would it bother you?”

Louis felt like this was a situation where he shouldn’t lie on the couch like a diva but to have more like a face-to-face conversation with his best friend so he slowly sat up and turned, immediately missing the comforting touches. (He could then see that Harry’s face was indeed a bit blotchy, bloody traitor.)

“Bother? I, no. This is why I’m asking, because. Well we had this thing, obviously but we said that we shouldn’t be together, and you know, _I_ thought about this and I think we’re definitely better off as friends, right? Look, since that thing with Liam I thought that maybe our friends would’ve tried to get us together if they thought that we’d be a good match. Since they’re always trying to do that, and they obviously didn’t. So.. Maybe this was good, that we broke it off immediately so we can stay like this, best friends. Because honestly, Lou, I couldn’t imagine a life without you and I don’t want anything between us, so if you want to go on a date then you can do that. Obviously. Maybe not with that Luke guy, but, well whoever you want.”

Harry took a deep breath and finally lifted his eyes, that were trained onto his lap during the whole speech. 

“Wow, Harry. In all those years of our friendship I think I’ve never heard you talk that much and that fast. I’m impressed.” Louis chuckled, a light feeling blossoming in his chest when he saw Harry’s dimple forming in his cheek. “And I think you’re right. We are better off as friends and I wholeheartedly agree with the rest you said. So, I will go on a date, eventually. It just didn’t come up, you know? And, yeah, definitely not Luke.”

“Good,” Harry now full-on smiled, grabbing the two mugs with the slightly cooled down tea and handed one to Louis. 

“So why the sudden interest, you have someone in mind for yourself?”

Harry shook his head, curls bouncing in his face. “Nah, didn’t really think about it either. I’m pretty happy how it is right now.” He smiled. A small, private smile that Louis has come to appreciate so much over the years. He loved that smile, loved when his best friend was happy.

“Yeah, me too.”

\- -

It was late afternoon on the 22nd when they arrived in Doncaster. It was a pretty chill drive, Harry guiding his rundown VW through luckily not too cramped streets and Louis chatting idly the whole way, changing stations frequently to get as many christmas songs as possible and just plainly entertaining Harry.  
Although there wasn’t much entertaining needed. They were both excited to go back home for a few days. Louis bloody missed a house full of chaos, his six siblings always up for some mischief or another and of course did he miss his mum. He’s always been a mama’s boy and he always will be. That’s probably another reason why him and Harry got along so fantastic, since Harry was just as bad as him. Louis knew that Harry was yearning for a good hug from Anne. 

They stopped in the driveway of the Twist’s house since Louis could easily walk the 50 meters towards his home. He wanted to greet Anne and Robin and Gemma anyways, so he left his bag in the trunk for another few minutes and instead walked next to his best friend up to the door. Before Harry could get out his keys, the door was already opened by Gemma who then proceeded to force them both into a tight hug.

“I missed you two shitheads,” she grinned into the hug, which they could only return just as enthusiastically. 

“Are my babies home?” Another voice then echoed through the hallway and they simply wandered into the next tight embrace. 

“Now Louis is your baby but I’m not?” Gemma huffed, watching the whole family get together from the side.“Unbelievable. Forgetting her first-born.”

“But look at them, darling,” Anne grinned, eyes suspiciously shiny. She had an arm slung around each of the boy’s waists and showed them towards her daughter. “They are still babies. You are an independent woman. Don’t get me wrong I love you just as much, but I don’t have to worry so much about you, you’re way too clever.”

“True,” Gemma nodded earning a disgruntled _Heey_ from her little brother. 

They quickly wandered into the kitchen where they shook hands with Robin and had a little chat, but Anne of course caught on when Louis took one too many looks onto the kitchen clock. 

“C’mon let that boy go to his family,” she smiled warmly.

“I’d really love to stay, but you know, a lot of hugs to give and stuff,” he grinned, giddy on his feet. 

“Oh- I,” Harry said, making a slight move towards Louis but then falling back on his feet. “Should I come with?”

“You literally live together how can you miss him already?” Gemma snarled next to them, tea mug in hand.

“But, Gems, there are _babies_.” 

The sparkle in Harry’s green eyes was so bright, it was ridiculous.

“Don’t try to steal them again, Haz, I’m onto you,” Louis warned, never forgotten the picture of Harry having one twin in each of his arms, ready to carry them away. 

They didn’t notice how Robin grabbed all of their jackets with a small smile on his face, way too busy staring at each other with their own private smiles.

“Well, it’s not like we didn’t know this would be coming,” Anne said, pulling them back into reality. She was already wearing her thick coat. “Johannah is awaiting us all for dinner tonight. We know we can’t separate you boys too soon.”

“Ridiculous,” Gemma once again muttered and Harry stuck his tongue out. 

“Children. Behave it’s christmas.”

“She started it!”

“Not true!”

“God, I missed home,” Louis smiled, grabbed Harry by his forearm and then they were on their way over towards his house. He bloody loved christmas.

\- -

“Are you sure that it’s alright if he stays here?”

“Of course!” Louis said, his head shaking violently in agreement.

Anne snorted. “I was more asking your mum.”

“Well,” Louis snorted right back. “Then the question is even more unnecessary. Mum loves Harry more than she loves me.”

Anne pressed a small kiss goodbye on Louis’ cheek before she grabbed her coat and followed Robin and Gemma out of the door. It was peaceful then. The older girls were in their rooms and Dan with the babies, helping a crying Doris to fall back asleep.  
Louis’ mum was sat in the big armchair across from him, christmas music was softly playing in the background. A soft whimper came from the boy sleeping with his head in Louis’ lap and it was awfully hard for Louis to not start cooing. He slipped his hands into Harry’s curls and played with the silky strands. Fitting for the whole ambiente did Harry look peaceful, his plump, pink lips formed into a pout, his face relaxed. He looked like he was sixteen again, when they were still going to school together up there in Doncaster and dreamed about living together in London one day. 

“So how is everything?” Jay’s voice broke their little bubble and Louis looked up, trying to convey the irritated expression on his face because he currently forgot that it wasn’t only him and Harry.

“Good,” he smiled. “Everything’s fine.”

“Yeah? With you two as well? You seemed awfully attached tonight. Even more so than usual.”

Jay smiled, her eyes shining in the candle light. 

Louis shrugged his shoulders. “You think so? I don’t know, ‘twas just normal. We’re probably just used to being around each other.”

Harry hummed in his sleep and turned, face now burrowed between Louis’ tummy and the blanket, that someone threw over them some time ago.

“So there’s nothing you need to tell me? No… revelations?”

“What do you mean?”

Jay giggled, but then just stood up and stretched. “You know what I mean. The fact that you two look at each other as if the other hung the moon and the stars. And the fact that we actually planned this pre-christmas dinner because we knew that you two would be inseparable. Or the fact that Harry is clinging onto you like a lifeline even in his sleep and will stay the night although he hasn’t seen his family in a few months.”

By the mention of Harry’s name did Louis’ eyes involuntarily snap back to the sleeping boy in his lap. He sighed. 

“Are we weird?” he asked, knowing full well that _weird_ was probably not the right term to use.

“Of course not, baby. C’mon take that monkey to bed.” She walked over to them, also giving Louis a kiss on the cheek and ruffled Harry’s hair. She was basically out of the room, when she turned once more. “But no funny business.”

“Mum!” Louis yelled scandalized which woke Harry in return. 

He heard his mum chuckle the whole way towards her and Dan’s bedroom. He was glad that she couldn’t see his red burning cheeks. She couldn’t know that the funny business part had already happened. There wasn’t time for a freakout though because a very sleepy boy demanded his attention.

“Lou?” Harry asked, voice raspy and eyes barely open.

“Yeah, babe. C’mon let’s go to bed,” Louis smiled, pressing his lips to Harry’s forehead without thinking and then started untangling them from the blanket.

“Where’s my mum?”

Louis giggled. “Went home. We couldn’t wake you, you were so knackered after the long drive.”

“And the good food,” Harry smiled, dimples prominent in his cheeks.

“Yeah.”

“Take me to bed, Lewis.”

“Your wish is my command, Harold.”

After they collapsed into bed, Harry immediately pushed his nose into the crook of Louis’ neck and it took him less than a minute to fall back asleep.

Thoughts about what his mum said, floated through Louis’ mind for a little longer, but after he rearranged his arms around Harry’s torso and cuddled him closer to his chest he, too, just fell into a peaceful sleep. 

\- -

Louis knew that one of the babies would be in his room in a few seconds, before the door opened with a little squeak. The patting of little feet on carpet followed and then a short silence. Louis left his eyes closed. The blanket was so warm and Harry had his arm slung snuggly around his waist, keeping him close. He didn’t want morning, although this morning promised cuddles with his baby siblings. 

“Louwee!” Ernie then laughed next to the bed and it took all of Louis’ composure to not immediately pull the little man into his arms. 

“Heeey,” Harry then rumbled next to him, obviously not gifted with such a strong mind as Louis. “Good morning, Ernie.”

“Hawwe!” Ernie clapped his hands in delight, obviously satisfied to have the attention of one of the boys. “Louwee wake?”

Harry chuckled and sat up in the bed, his warmth gone from Louis’ skin. “Your big brother is still sleeping. How about we both make sure he gets some brekkie, hm?”

Another squeak from his little brother and then a loud giggle. 

“God you’ve gotten heavy, are you already a big lad, hm? As big as your brother? Don’t need much to outrun him.” 

Louis would’ve protested but after picking Ernie up, did Harry manage to bend over the bed and pull the blanket over Louis’ shoulders. There was enough time later that he could pout because of his best friend’s teasing.

“Now, let’s go. Did you already have brekkie? No? Well, I’m gonna have a look, maybe we can both plunder the fridge. And then -”

The voices faded after Harry pulled the door closed and Louis relaxed, his eyes slowly blinking against the light in the room. His heart felt warm and fuzzy, and he was pretty sure that it had something to do with how Harry was with his little brother. Thoughts of Harry holding his own baby in his arms flashed through Louis’ mind. Thoughts where he pulled funny faces for the baby and then stood up on his tippy toes to plant a soft kiss on Harry’s lips…

He groaned, his eyes fallen on the clock in his room. Half seven. Definitely too early to have these thoughts. He closed his eyes once more to flee into a different world where Harry and weird feelings didn’t exist. 

Two minutes later started a dream of him and Harry, both dressed up in a tux and both only saying two words. _I do_. 

\- -

“My god, and I thought I would still have a few years until I’d be an aunt,” Gemma murmured over Christmas dinner two nights later. Her brother sat across from her once again with a baby on his lap. Doris was peacefully snoozing away, the whole day too exciting for her little head. Her twin sat in a highchair at the end of the table, eyes dangerously droopy as well. 

“Hm?”, Harry hummed, definitely more concentrated on the toddler than his dinner, that sat mostly untouched in front of him. 

Louis felt that stupid smile on his face again. It’s been a constant feature of his these last few days, stealing itself onto his face and forming his lips upwards. Probably because Harry was constantly buzzing around the little twins, making them giggle, or drying their tears, rocking them to sleep and indulging their early morning activities at the arse crack of dawn. 

“If I would be you, Jay, I’d be cautious. I think he might steal one of them,” Gemma continued, pointing her fork at Louis’ mum. 

“I know,” Jay nodded, faux-serious look on her face. “I’m already watching you, young man.”

“Me?” Harry grinned, now finally digging his own fork into his dinner. “I’m only enjoying my dinner here, excuse you.”

“Apropos food, Harry, how was that lovely date of yours?” Anne then suddenly chipped in.

Louis head snapped towards Harry’s mum, eyebrows raised. 

“What date?”, Harry asked, a blush prominent on his cheeks. Suddenly the lovely christmas dinner wasn’t as tasty to Louis as before. 

“You know what I mean,” Anne scoffed. “The lunch you had with your colleague. What was his name again?”

“Adam?” Louis squeaked, unintentionally. He knew Adam, knew that the boy had a crush on Harry. He tried to convince himself that that wasn’t the reason why he didn’t like the guy.

“Yes! Adam! So, how was it?”

“That was no date, mum. He just asked me to share lunch.”

“And payed for it,” Gemma said, her eyes flicking mischievously between her brother, her mother and Louis. The whole table seemed to be interested in that particular conversation, the else obnoxiously loud Tomlinson-Deakin household suddenly very quiet.

“I-”

“And when was this glorious lunch date, exactly? You didn’t even tell, Hazza.”

Louis smiled. At least that’s what he thought he did. He just felt this tension in his face, his tone as strained as the corners of his lips. 

“I,” Harry started again, blush creeping higher and higher. “Ehm, last week, I guess? But as I said it was no date.”

“Well, sounds a lot like a date to me, doesn’t it?” Louis addressed Gemma who looked at him strangely. 

“It was nothing,” Harry shook his head. “He asked me to share lunch, we had lunch, we talked, he payed, we had a good time and we continued to work. That was it.”

“Definitely a date, then.”

“Do you have a problem, Lewis?”

Louis gasped. How dare Harry to snap at him now. “Just that you go on dates and don’t even tell me, your best friend. I thought there weren’t any secrets in our home.”

“Still wasn’t a date,” Harry insisted.

They were in the middle of a stare down when Jay appeared between their faces, to quickly get Doris from Harry’s lap.

“Leave my baby out of your petty fights, boys.”

“We’re not fighting. I am not fighting, are you?” Louis asked, and he knew that he was a bit pathetic, but he desperately needed to overplay that fucking sting in his chest. 

“I am not fighting,” Harry said and they continued to eat. 

It somehow became the first night they spend apart since they arrived in Doncaster. 

\- -

After a night of fitful sleep Louis checked his phone the next morning only to realise that he received a text from Harry not long ago. 

**Hazza** : im thinking about leaving today already if thats alright

Louis frowned. He was pretty sure that Harry's sudden plans of leaving were a result of their little fight the night prior but he didn't intend to give in too easily.

 **To Hazza** : alrighty. i can be ready around noon. but maybe we can start at 2ish? then we can both grab lunch with the fam

 **Hazza** : you dont have to leave with me, gems will drive down to london in two days and she would take you. 

**To Hazza** : don't be ridiculous, i won't let you drive the whole boring journey alone. and perrie asked me if i could take one of her shifts at the pub anyway so

 **Hazza** : if youre sure.. i dont mind driving alone.

Louis’ frown deepened. He didn't really think that their fight was too bad. He understood that he behaved like a jealous jerk but he actually planned to apologize in person. He didn't want to wait another two days. 

**To Hazza** : okay… do you want to drive alone?

 **Hazza** : what do you mean?

He sighed and rolled onto his back, the duvet draped loosely over his thighs, his phone only inches away from his face.

 **To Hazza** : i mean if you don't want me with you. if you want the flat for yourself for a few days

Louis gulped. He didn't want that. He didn't want to be apart from his best friend. He loved and missed his family, for sure, but the whole situation was growing over his head and he noticed how he craved the peacefulness of his home in London. He needed time and space to think, to realise what was actually happening and what he actually wanted. With his family around he had too many excuses to burrow himself in babysitting and talking about boys with the older girls. He craved to come clean with his… with himself. He wanted to be home. Preferably with Harry. Actually, he couldn't really imagine calling the London flat his home without Harry in it. 

**Hazza** : of course not, Lou. i will drive by your house at two. 

A deep sigh of relief tumbled out of his mouth, the butterflies in Louis’ tummy finally settling down a bit. They were going to work this out, everything would be alright. And until then he would definitely spend every minute with his siblings. 

He happily ignored Lottie and Fizzy’s death threats when he woke them up and pulled them into the babies’ room to have a little playdate. He knew that they loved it too, could read it from the sparkling in their eyes. 

Yeah he loved home and his family, but his nerves were buzzing for the moment when Harry would come to pick him up.

\- -

It was ten minutes past two when Harry pulled up on the Tomlinson-Deakin driveway. Louis had his bag packed and sitting outside on the stairs in front of the door. Louis himself stood in the hallway one of the baby twins on each of his legs and his mum in his ears.

“Remember to eat, Louis! I love your cheekbones just as much as your lovers do but they don’t need to overpower the rest of your pretty face.”

Louis said nothing. He still felt strange. He had a great morning with his family but the whole Harry situation was making him nauseous. He still needed to apologize and he had no idea how to formulate that. “ _Sorry baby, I guess I was incredibly jealous because I kind of want to date you myself_ ”, is probably not the best way to do it. Especially after he and Harry agreed on the fact that they were better off as friends.  
So he rolled his eyes instead. Unknown to his mum but perfectly visible to Harry who had moved out of the car. 

“She’s right, you know?” Harry said and therefore made himself noticeable to the twins who immediately clinged onto his legs instead of Louis’.

He felt oddly replaceable.

“Hello Harold,” he said and cringed internally. If he really wanted to fix things between them, he needed to work on his demeanour. 

He took the few steps outside and grabbed his bag to put it in the trunk of Harry’s car. He threw his backpack with his phone and some book he needed to read for his uni classes onto the passenger seat and then turned back around. He saw how the twins had apparently lost interest in Harry and were wrestling each other playfully, loud giggles escaping their opens mouths. Louis felt a smile tug at his lips. 

“Alright munchkins, don’t you want to say goodbye to your brother?” 

“Louwie!” Doris yelled, eyes shining and stumbled into Louis’ outstretched arms, Ernie following her half a step behind.

“Don’t go!” Ernie mumbled into Louis’ chest and he felt how his heart clenched. 

“I’ll be back soon, I promise. Alright kiddo?” 

He felt Ernie shrug in their embrace and took that as an ok. He squeezed them a bit tighter to his chest and then stood back up, one hand on each of their shoulders, so he could lead them back towards their mother. 

His steps faltered when he saw Harry in a tight embrace with his mother, who was whispering something into his ear. His heart was beating faster, the thoughts of _he’s already family, he’s already part of my family, fuck I want him so much_ running wild in his head. When they loosened their embrace did Harry’s cheeks seem oddly pink but Louis quickly averted his gaze. With every passing second that he spent with Harry or around him he asked himself more and more how he could’ve missed this. This feeling in his chest, the constant thoughts of Harry being the prettiest boy he’s ever seen, the knowledge that Harry wants exactly the same in life that he does, a big family and a loving home. The fact that they loved their respective families. The fact that they pretty much acted like a married couple at home, when Harry was doing their laundry and Louis massaged his back when it was acting up after another nasty shift at the café. So many little details that Louis had somehow missed throughout the years and that were now suddenly right there in front of him. Reachable, and still so far away. Because they were better off as friends. Harry said so. And really, the most important thing was, that Harry was happy, right?

\- -

They were twenty minutes into the drive, the only sounds in the car coming from the radio and the engine, when Louis closed his book with a sigh. He could for the life of god not concentrate. So he started looking out of the window instead, his feet propped up on the dashboard in front of him, shoes forgotten on the floor and socked toes wiggling with the beat of the music. 

“Hey Lou,” Harry said, after another while, clearly noticing the strange atmosphere in the car. Louis was not necessarily known for being calm and collected during a long drive - or during any longer period of time really - so it was probably only a matter of time until he would say something. 

“Yeah?” Louis croaked, head turning slightly so he could watch Harry from the side. He sighed internally. Why was this curly boy just so pretty? It was unfair. 

“I, erm, I wanted to apologize. You know, for snapping at you. That was uncalled for.”

Louis gulped. “No, Haz, really,” he mumbled and sat up in his seat. “I wanted to apologize. Just didn’t know how, but I shouldn’t have been so -” _jealous_ , a voice inside his head screamed. “I don’t know.” 

“I guess we were both just a bit stressed, yeah? I mean, I love our families but this year I felt a bit… overwhelmed, I guess? Dunno. Like, it wasn’t bad of course. But I am also kind of glad that we’re heading back, you know?”

“God yeah, I missed our home.” Louis nodded absentmindedly, thinking about their old but cozy couch in their living room in London. He actually felt a little giddy with excitement; he hoped that they would find themselves snuggled together on exactly that couch tonight.

“Right?” Harry grinned, eyes finding Louis’ and then again the street. “I think we still have some ice cream left.” 

“Hmmm!” Louis couldn’t suppress the moan that left his mouth. “And the wine? God let’s have a wine and ice cream night and watch… erm-”

“Uh! Let’s watch the _The Proposal_! I feel it’s a Ryan Reynolds kind of night.”

Louis giggled, a warm feeling spreading through his whole body, consuming all of his dark thoughts and struggling feelings. “Sounds right.”

“Let’s just hope that Niall won’t interfere our plans.”

“Niall? He doesn’t even know that we’re coming back today, does he?”

Harry coughed awkwardly, a slight blush gracing his cheeks. “I might’ve texted him? I mean I thought that you’d stay in Donny and then I would’ve been all alone so…”

Louis huffed. “You shouldn’t even have thought that I would let you drive alone. What a hideous thought.”

“I know, Lou,” Harry smiled with another short glance towards him. Louis smiled back and he felt his own blush decorating his cheeks, when suddenly Harry’s right hand engulfed his own and squeezed. A myriad of butterflies apparently started their mating dance inside Louis’ tummy. “I’m glad that we’re going home together.”

Another squeeze of his hand and a suppressed choked up sound from the older boy and then: “Me too.”

When Harry's fingers threatened to slip from between Louis’, he quickly pressed a bit harder, keeping them in place. He felt a bis masochistic, acting as if this handholding was more than some platonic love and appreciation of best friends but he was just not ready to let go.

“I might need that hand back at some point or another,” Harry chuckled next to him, but when Louis looked could he only notice the deep dimples and the pleased expression on his friend’s face. 

“Yeah, but not right now.”

“No, not right now.”

They drove like that for the next hour and a half.

\- -

Niall remembered, of course. He was a good friend after all, and Louis should’ve really counted on the Irish leprechaun stumbling into their flat at some point. When that happened were Louis and Harry snuggled together on their couch, and Sandra Bullock has just fallen on her knees to propose reluctantly to Ryan Reynolds. 

“I would have a different look on my face if I were to get to propose to Ryan,” Harry mumbled into Louis’ neck which made him tense up uncomfortably but before any one of them could say something did said leprechaun burst through the front door.

“Alright, Haz, I am here! Let’s party and forget all about L-,” Niall stopped as soon as he saw the cuddling pair, eyebrows shooting up. “Louis?” he asked.

“Hey Neil,” Louis grinned, his arm pressing Harry a bit closer to his chest. “How are you?”

“I thought you were still in Doncaster!”

Louis pouted. “I am happy to see you too.”

The blond cackled, obviously back to his normal self and then plopped onto the other end of the couch, filling the last space on the tiny furniture. “I’m really happy to see you, mate. Just thought that Harry and I would hit the clubs tonight. You know pull some-”

“Well we still can go out,” Harry intervened then, wriggling until Louis finally let him go. He didn’t like where this was heading. “I mean I kind of promised Niall that we’d go.”

“Erm,” Louis tried to swallow around the lump in his throat. Harry was pretty eager to go out and find someone for the night, so what? Not his business. No, not at all. “Well, then. Have fun, I guess?”

“Awesome, Hazza!” Niall cheered, jumped back up to presumably search through their fridge for beer. 

“You’re not coming with?” Harry suddenly said, green doe eyes big and full of emotions, that Louis couldn’t quite place.

“I mean, I can. Just thought that you two want the night to yourselves.”

“Bulshit,” Harry mumbled, a slight pout on his lips. “You’re always welcome to come with. You _should_ come with us.”

“Yeah, Tommo!” Niall joined them again, bottle of beer in his hand. “Now go on, little darlings, we need you two to get drunk and ready to go!”

It was impossible to fight the smile on his face, so Louis just let himself be pulled along towards their bedrooms and with a last playful slap on his bum and a small “See you in a minute” from Harry, did he rush towards his closet, searching for his tightest black trousers. Maybe this could be a good thing, he thought. 

\- -

They’ve had barely been there for an hour and Louis already felt kind of suffocated. His carefully crafted fringe was sticking wetly onto his forehead, his ears felt numb due to the heavy and too loud basses blasting through the club, his favourite jeans somehow felt rather uncomfortable and the fact that he was standing alone next to a booth filled with loud and drunk American girls, was not making it any better. Niall was somewhere off after he met one of his thousands of close friends and when the first notes of Harry’s favourite song started could Louis only nod his head towards the dancefloor, signalling him that he should go and dance. He had watched Harry skip away and dance for a bit until he turned back to the bar where he was standing and continued to wait for Harry and his drinks.  
He would’ve loved to dance with Harry, especially because he kind of hoped that they would start to kiss again. He knew that it was wrong, that he would only use Harry’s drunken state to get what he so desperately wanted. To feel those soft lips back on his own, to feel Harry’s big hands on his waist, on his neck, pulling him in or on his bum, grinding their crotches together.  
After ten more minutes of being ignored by the bartender gave Louis up, not really in the mood to get sloshed anyway and it seemed that Harry was entertained enough and didn’t even need any alcohol. 

That’s how he landed next to the booth where he was currently at, staring at the dance floor where he would occasionally sneak a glance at a laughing Harry, who was swinging his tiny hips in the rhythm of the music. He thought about telling Harry that he wanted to leave, but then again was he pretty sure that Harry would tag along, just so Louis wouldn’t be alone and he didn’t want to ruin his best friend’s fun. It was not his fault that Louis was such a party pooper. Or maybe, it was, but he didn’t need to know that.

With a last glance towards those gangly limbs swinging to the music, Louis sighed and pressed his way through the crowd and finally out of the club onto the street. A shiver ran through his body as soon as he realised how fucking cold it was, not that big of a surprise actually, since it was the end of December. He looked around, hoping to find a cab and then decided to just call an Uber to get him home. His app told him, that John would be there in two minutes, driving a black type of Mercedes that Louis wasn’t really interested in. Instead of looking around for the car he opened his text messages and typed in a short information for Harry and Niall, letting them know that he’d gone home and didn’t want to ruin their fun night. He didn’t even manage to press send before a big hand grabbed him by the shoulder.

“Hey, Lou!” Harry panted in his face, skin glowing from the sweat in the light of the street lamps. “What are you doing outside?”

Louis smiled, a tiny smile. “‘m heading home, Haz. Go back inside.”

Harry furrowed his brows, apparently completely unaware that he was only wearing a thin silk blouse that did nothing to hold back the cold. 

“Why didn’t you say something?” he asked, his tone obviously accusing. 

“I-”

“I’m obviously coming with you. As if I’m letting you go alone at this time of the night.”

Louis rolled his eyes despite the warm feeling that settled in his tummy. “Hazza, I’m not twelve.”

“I know that. Doesn’t change the fact that I wouldn’t be worried about you, Lou.”

The accusing tone was gone, a slight tremor replaced it instead.

“Hey, Haz, I’m sorry, okay? I actually just wanted to text you,” he held his phone up with the still unsend text open. “I knew that you would want to come with but you had so much fun, I didn’t want to ruin it. I already ordered an Uber, so no need to worry.”

Relief flooded his bloodstream when he saw the tiny upwards tilt of the corner of Harry’s mouth. 

“But it’s no fun without you,” Harry said petulantly, hands coming up to rub over his arms. 

“That looked different in there, Styles. You don’t have to say this, you know? It’s okay, that you were having fun without me. C’mon go back, you’re freezing.” Louis lifted his own hands, joining Harry’s to bring at least a little warmth.

“Yeah, well I don’t want to. I wanted to dance with you, not my fault that you were lurking at the side, just watching me.”

Louis seriously hoped that the street lamps were too dark to show the blush on his cheeks. 

“I-” he didn’t even know what to say. Luckily the tiny ping from his phone rescued him. “My driver’s here.”

Harry shrugged, grin back on his lips, dimples deep in his cheeks. “Then let’s go. Niall has the number for my jacket and I really don’t want to go search for him.” 

Louis wanted to protest, _again_ , but his mouth shut as soon as Harry slipped his fingers between Louis’ and tugged him forward. 

“What’s the car look like?” he asked, grinning down at Louis and squeezed his fingers. 

“Black Mercedes,” Louis somehow breathed out, confused as to when he transformed into his fourteen year-old self, that would blush whenever a cute boy talked to him. When they fell into the backseat of the car and Louis had told John their address, did his eyes wander back to Harry who was already watching him with a soft smile on his lips. Their fingers were still intertwined, now on Harry’s lap. Louis thought, that he probably got all mushy as soon as he realised how bloody in love he was with his best friend. Right there, in the middle of the night, on their way back to their little flat did he ask himself if maybe he would stop calling Harry his best friend soon or if maybe another description of their relationship would join the term. 

When Harry lifted their hands towards his mouth and planted a soft, a whisper of a kiss onto Louis’ knuckles, he was almost sure the latter would be the case. He didn’t fight the smile the whole way back to their flat.

\- -

Louis had retyped the message to Niall, saying that he and Harry had left the club and if Niall would be so kind to take Harry’s jacket home with him. Niall had only replied with a winking emoji followed by a simple _get in!_ , the eggplant and the peach emoji. 

He couldn’t think too much about it, because then Harry had opened the door and pulled Louis by his wrist until they were stood in the middle of the hallway. The fairy lights were switched on and illuminated the room into a soft light and Louis couldn’t help but appreciate how they let Harry’s eyes glitter in a piercing green. His brown curls fell barely over his broad shoulders, his lips bitten red and plush. 

Usually the silence would suffocate Louis even more than the noises of the club. He was known to be restless and loud, to never really sit still for a long time. He just then realised that he was never that restless with Harry though. That man standing in front of him had always had a calming effect onto Louis’ mind and body. And although his heart was beating out of his chest, did Louis once again feel calm and collected when he stared into Harry’s green, green eyes.

Harry was watching him, too. The soft smile never leaving his lips, did his eyes wander over Louis’ face, his torso, his legs. It made Louis preen under the attention. Right in that moment, did he feel special, all thanks to his best friend. 

Harry’s arm reached out once again, tangling his fingers with Louis’. A dimple appeared in his cheek when he realised that Louis wouldn’t back away. That Louis held on just as tight as Harry. 

One step, then another step until they were basically right in each other’s spaces. Harry’s other hand landed softly on Louis’ cheek, his thumb stroking under Louis’ eye, caressing the skin over his cheekbones. 

“You’re so beautiful,” Louis whispered, making himself gasp a breath at this unintentional slip of words. When he saw that Harry’s smile only widened, he wasn’t sorry at all, that he said it. 

“You’re one to talk,” Harry murmured, his deep voice rumpling through every fibre of Louis’ body. 

Louis closed his eyes for a second, pressing his face against Harry’s touch, relishing in the way how intimate this felt. How connected he felt to the other man. When he opened his eyes again he saw how Harry’s gaze was locked onto his lips, their faces barely inches apart. 

His adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed the saliva in his mouth. Harry’s eyes flicking towards to the movement, back to his lips and then towards Louis’ eyes. The green widened a bit when he realised that Louis was watching him. 

“What are we doing?” Louis whispered. He wanted to know what Harry thought. He probably wouldn’t survive another night together without knowing if there was something more. 

“I think we are about to kiss,” Harry whispered back, smile vanished from his voice. A deep honesty colouring the words which made Louis’ heart nearly jump out of his chest.

“What did you drink in the club?”

A tiny shake of Harry’s head and then: “Nothing.”

Louis nodded. “So we’re both sober.”

“Yeah,” Harry breathed.

“And we’re about to kiss.”

“Louis?”

“Yeah?”

“I really want to kiss you right now.”

Louis tried to read Harry’s eyes, tried to understand the intention behind all of this. What he saw looked like pure adoration and something coming close to love, maybe.

“Please,” he whimpered and his eyes weren’t even completely closed, before he felt Harry’s lips on his own.

Since their last kiss was when they were both too drunk to think, wasn’t Louis in the position to compare but he still had to notice the fact that these kisses were worlds apart. Where the first one was full of lust and fun and recklessness was this kiss soft and cautious and so full of love that he could cry.  
Harry’s lips melted perfectly against Louis’ own. It felt like puzzle pieces falling together and Louis would’ve never thought that kissing someone could feel so right. 

It was just a short but deep press of lips and then Harry pulled back, his eyes immediately searching Louis’.

“Wow,” he smiled, looking slightly dazed and making Louis giggle, an embarrassing sound that left his lips. Harry grinned back, dimples once again in place but then his gaze turned serious again, making Louis shut up. Harry untangled their fingers, only to put the other hand onto Louis’ other cheek. He tilted his head upwards, just a tad and then they were kissing again. 

This time the kiss felt even better than before, a thing that should’ve been absolutely impossible and Louis asked himself if every kiss with Harry would be better than the last. He kind of, really wanted to find out. 

He stopped thinking altogether when they both opened their mouths, a silent understanding and then Harry’ tongue dipped between his lips and Louis couldn’t stop the whimper that left his throat. He earned a deep groan in return, a noise that went straight through his body into the last corner and especially to his cock. 

The dam was broken after that. Louis placed his hands onto Harry’s waist, right over his tiny love handles that he knew Harry hated. He really couldn’t understand why. 

“Haz, fuck!” he groaned against Harry’s lips and then bit into Harry’s bottom lip, making the younger boy groan again. Hands started to wander, Harry’s fingers suddenly splayed out over Louis’ lower back, the pinky dipping under the waist of his jeans and briefs. 

“Yeah, Lou. Want you so much,” Harry moaned back, pecking Louis’ lips three, four times and then wandered over to the corner of his mouth towards his jaw and neck, down to his partly exposed collar bones. “Fuck, so, so beautiful,” he groaned and bit into the delicate skin. 

Breathy moans left Louis’ mouth, a noise that he was pretty sure he never made in his life before. His hips worked on their own accord, humping forward until they met Harry’s, their clothed cocks rubbing together for a glorious moment of friction. They groaned into each other’s necks and then simultaneously lifted their heads to look into the other’s eyes. 

A grin spread over Louis’ face and he lifted one eyebrow. “Bedroom?” he asked and the only answer was a deep growl. His laugh turned into another embarrassing squeak when Harry grabbed him under his arse and hoisted him up.

“I don’t appreciate you doing whatever you doing, Harold!” he shrieked over Harry’s shoulder, hoping that Harry did not feel the jump of his cock through the fabric.

“No need to pretend, Louis, I know you love this,” Harry only said and slapped Louis’ bum.

“Rude,” Louis mumbled and then shuffled until he could press his lips against Harry’s neck, sucking a bruise right where everybody would be able to see. The thought made his heart gain speed once again and he could only dig his fingers into Harry’s shirt to ground himself a little bit. 

As soon as Louis’ back hit the soft sheets of his bed were Harry’s lips back on his. The sounds they made were obscene, the slide of their lips and the groans leaving their mouths. Louis was so turned on he thought he might explode. His hand wandered from Harry’s curls - he didn’t even recall putting them there - towards the neck of his shirt. It was a moment where he was incredibly thankful that Harry liked to have ‘his tits out’ how Niall would call it, and therefore left three or four buttons of his shirt completely undone. His surprisingly nimble fingers quickly opened the other buttons until he could finally smooth his hands over Harry’s naked torso, his fingernails lightly scratching the skin.

“Oh fuck,” Harry groaned, thrusting his hips down until their clothed cocks met again. He continued to hump his hips into Louis’ while his hands managed to pull Louis’ shirt over his head. The slide of naked skin on skin was heavenly and Louis thought he might die right there when Harry’s plump lips closed around one of his nipples. 

“Ah, H-Harry,” he sighed, voice barely there. 

“Shit, so sensitive, huh, baby?” Harry groaned in his deep voice. Louis was seriously worried that he might explode from the level of turned he was. 

“Please, off!” he muttered and shoved his hands towards Harry’s trousers. The next minutes were spent with both of them fighting the other’s tight jeans off until they were finally naked, lying next to each other and giggling into each other’s mouths. 

It was ridiculous, how one minute was full of sexual energy and the next was spent laughing between soft kisses and roaming hands. Louis’ whole concept of sex had to be rebuild after this.

“What do you want, Lou?” Harry asked into his mouth, sucking on Louis’ tongue and then pressing more tiny kisses onto his lips.

“Want to, _shit_ , want to taste you, baby. Please?” 

“Fuck, yeah, please, Lou.”

Louis planted a last, long kiss onto Harry’s lips, torn between not wanting to leave those lips but also really wanting to suck that big cock that lay heavily between Harry’s legs. After another kiss he managed to wander down, kissing his neck and over the deep red bruise he left there. He put in a cheeky suck on one of Harry’s nipples on his way down, that made Harry kick out his leg in surprise. Louis licked softly over the edge of the butterfly tattoo and then down over his belly button and happy trail that was slightly sticky already, precome having left a little puddle. 

“Taste so good, baby, can’t believe I’m able to do this,” he moaned. He heard Harry gasp for a breath but before he could say anything had Louis one hand closed around the base of Harry’s hard cock and was sucking the head into his mouth. Louis had always liked blowjobs, loved how he could take his partner apart by just a small flick of his tongue or a cheeky use of his teeth. But feeling the heavy weight of Harry’s cock in his mouth was something else entirely. He wasn’t sure if he ever wanted to not have this dick in his mouth.  
He decided that he should worry about that another time and instead started to sink down on the hard shaft. It wasn’t the finest blowjob, to be fair. It was messy and wet, due to the spit running down Harry’s shaft and the precome blurting steadily onto Louis’ tongue, making him groan in return. He felt Harry’s hand in his hair at one point, not pushing him down, but just holding on. 

“Fuck, fuck Lou! Please, oh god, feels so good!” Harry groaned and when Louis looked up he saw how the other man was watching him, his pupils blown wide and his mouth opened in tiny gasps. The hand that wasn’t in Louis’ hair was playing with his nipples and Louis had to grab his own cock to not come then and there. 

“I’m gonna come, Lou, oh shit, I’m gonna come!” Harry yelled and pulled at Louis’ strands to get him off his cock but he just doubled his efforts and sucked a little harder, hollowing his cheeks a little more until he felt Harry’s cock throb inside his mouth and then he was coming. Louis eagerly swallowed around the head, gulping down the quite big load, that Harry was releasing. He gave another quick suck to the head at end and then sat back. His own dick was sticking out, wet from the precome running down but Louis didn’t really care. With a grin did he watch Harry’s torso rapidly going up and down with his sharp breaths, his forearm covering the top half of his face.

“Fuck, you’re gonna kill me, Tomlinson.”

A giggle left Louis’ mouth, a giddy feeling running through his body that didn’t seem to quite fit to the whole scenery but he didn’t care. He couldn’t believe how happy he felt. Couldn’t believe the feeling that was running through his veins when he looked at that boy, that man that was his best friend who was now looking at him with such love in his eyes, that Louis’ heart started another staccato beat in his chest. 

“Come here, Louis,” Harry mumbled, voice sounding slow and relaxed after his orgasm. 

Without much grace let Louis fall himself on top of Harry, earning a little groan and another playful slap on his bum. And then Harry’s lips were back on his, his tongue immediately pushing into Louis’ mouth, probably tasting himself on Louis’ tongue. They both moaned in unison. Louis swung one leg over Harry’s torso, his lips never leaving Harry’s. Big hands grabbed his bum and once again hoisted him upwards, until he was properly straddling Harry’s chest. Harry wriggled a hand between their bodies, grabbing after Louis’ hard cock and it only took him three or four strokes until he was coming, shooting thick ropes of white on both of their skin. He rode his orgasm out in tiny humps of his hips and then just collapsed into Harry’s arms, his face buried in the crook of the younger’s neck, feeling content right where he was. 

“I think I’ve never felt this fucked out without even really fucking,” he mumbled sleepily and felt the shake of Harry’s body underneath his own when he chuckled. 

“I think I wouldn’t survive any real fucking now,” he said and Louis could hear the grin in his voice. 

He lifted his hand and started drawing with his own come on Harry’s torso. “You’re filthy,” he said easily. 

“Yeah, whose fault is that, hm?” 

Harry turned his head a little until their noses bumped together. Louis wriggled forward and pressed a kiss onto Harry’s lips. “Mine,” he grinned proudly and Harry nodded, molding their lips back together.

\- -

After quite a bit of convincing did Harry finally get up to wash Louis’ come off while Louis spread his limbs over the bed. His joints popping after the cramped position he held while blowing Harry. Fuck, he just blew his best friend and it felt like the best thing he ever did. They still needed to talk, though. Louis didn’t really think that Harry took this as kind of a friends with benefits thing, but you never knew, right? So Louis waited while he heard Harry in the bathroom and closed his eyes, relishing the feeling of the warm sheets under his naked body. 

“God, look at you,” he suddenly heard and when he opened his eyes he saw Harry standing in his naked glory in the doorway, eyes big and looking in awe. Louis felt the blush creeping up his neck, but he didn’t really care. 

“Come here, please?” he asked instead and with a grin did Harry jump straight onto the mattress, grabbed the sheets and pulled them over their bodies when he cuddled into Louis. 

“Gladly,” he hummed into Louis’ neck and softly kissed the skin there. Louis closed his arms around Harry’s back and buried a hand in his soft curls, scratching his skin.

“Hey Haz,” he whispered, waiting until Harry looked up into his eyes. “I really don’t think that we’re better off as friends. 

He kind of thought that Harry would laugh or at least chuckle, with those deep dimples of his carved into his cheeks. Instead Harry only looked at him a little longer and then pushed his body up until he could seal their lips together. A sigh left Louis’ mouth as soon as their lips opened again, tongues caressing each other and he thought that his heart might give out when he felt Harry’s hand grabbing his own, linking their fingers tightly. 

“I want to be your best friend, Lou,” he mumbled, making Louis pull back. That wasn’t exactly what he hoped to hear. Harry probably read that from his face so he quickly opened his mouth again. “No, hear me out. I want to be your best friend. The person you come to when you’ve got exciting news or just want to talk about your day. The person you tell all your dreams and plans and also your fears and worries. I want to be the person that helps you through the bad times and that celebrates the good times with you. I want to do and to be all of that. But,” he took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them again the green was so much deeper than before that it caught Louis’ breath. “I also want to hold you like this and to kiss you. I want to make you feel good and to cherish your body and everything that comes with it. I want to make out in the club with only you and to suck bruises into your neck and show everybody that you’re bloody _mine_ , even though that’s a lot possessive and also a lot stupid, but fuck, Lou. I am so in bloody love with you. Probably always have been. When I told you that we’re better off as friends… that was probably - no definitely - the dumbest thing I’ve ever said and I hope you forgive me for that and I also hope that I didn’t scare you away with all of this because, I really love you. And I want to be with you. Forever, if that’s alright.”

Louis didn’t even feel the tears leak from the corner of his eyes until Harry wiped them away softly and cradled his head. “I want that, too”, Louis whispered, not trusting his voice. “I want all of that, too. Harry, fuck. I love you, too. So, so much.” Instead of saying more, he quickly pulled Harry’s head down until their lips met again and again and again until they both fell asleep, feeling safe and warm and loved in each other’s arms.

Forever was a long time, but Louis was so ready to start forever right about now, with Harry by his side.

\- -


	2. Epilogue

“Are you ready?” Louis asked, as they were once again standing in front of the Tomlinson-Deakin home in Doncaster.

Harry squeezed his hand reassuringly and grinned. “More than so. I’m surprised that nobody’s out here. Usually they smell us from three hundred meters away.”

Louis chuckled. It was true. He took a deep breath. As soon as the door would open, both of their families would know that Harry and Louis were together. Like, _really_ together. As in _I want to spend the rest of my life with you, let’s get married tomorrow and have ten babies_. He knew that they would all be ecstatic. Looking back, he definitely saw the not so subtle hints Gemma and his mum and basically everybody else gave them. Hell, his mum even thought that they were already together on christmas. Admittedly, it didn’t took that long after that until they finally realised it but still. 

Louis moved to ring the doorbell but Harry quickly grabbed his hand and in the next second found Louis himself in the strong arms of his boyfriend (and still best friend in the universe). 

“I still can’t believe that I got to kiss you into the new year, baby,” he mumbled and Louis really couldn’t believe that he was still blushing like hell. 

“Best New Year’s of my life,” he mumbled into Harry’s chest and then lifted his chin, his lips begging for a kiss. His boyfriend complied easily, pecking Louis two, three, four times and then pushed him gently away. 

“C’mon let’s face the crowd. They probably wonder if we’re still drunk from Niall’s party.”

Louis snorted but this time rang the doorbell. “Who even organizes parties two days after New Year’s.”

“Leave that to the Irish leprechaun.”

They shared another little smile and then the door was opened, Daisy and Phoebe appearing behind the dark wood.

“Mum!” Phoebe yelled, making Louis and Harry flinch a little. “Lou and Harry are here!”

Louis felt Harry giggle next to him when he saw where Daisy’s gaze had wandered. 

“And they are holding hands!” she screamed. 

It didn’t take long for several family members to rush outside and see the phenomenon with their own eyes.

“Fucking finally,” Gemma sighed with a soft smile and Louis could only nod in return. Fucking _finally_.

\- -

After Jay and Anne had finally dried their tears and Louis and Harry had told the “great story” for the tenth time, everybody managed to settle down around the dinner table and enjoy the delicious food of their traditional Happy New Year Family Dinner. 

“So why again did this take so long?” Lottie asked pointing her fork to Harry and then to Louis who tried to calm his smile down since Harry put his hand on his thigh. 

“Actually,” Harry munched around the broccoli in his mouth and swallowed with a grin. “Actually have we been together before. Just for a few hours, mind you, but did have the idea.”

“What?” Jay and Anne yelled together, eyes wide and food once again forgotten. “When was that? Before George or after him? Or the other two hundred boyfriends?”

“Excuse me?” Louis asked, eyebrows raised. He knew that he was a bit obsessed with finally finding the one but he was not desperate or jumped from one boyfriend to another. Or maybe he did do that. He wasn’t even sure anymore. The most important thing was, that he had Harry now. And no one else. 

“It was two or three days after they broke up,” Harry continued, grin still etched onto his face. “We even met you two,” he mimicked Lottie and pointed with his fork to Gemma and the blonde Tomlinson. “During these few precious hours. But then you teamed up against us and said that we should stay alone for awhile and well, the good brothers that we are we listened.”

“Stupid us,” Louis mumbled into his wine glass, sending a wink to Harry, who patted his thigh in return.

“Explain?” Anne now said to the two girls and it would be a lie if Louis would say that he didn’t enjoy the change of attitude at the table.

But Gemma only rolled her eyes. “You two are idiots. We obviously didn’t want that you two started dating some random guys because we already knew that you were made for each other.” 

“Duh,” Lottie said, eyebrows raised.

“Boys, too dumb to breathe, sometimes,” Gemma added, making them both snicker. 

“Me not dumb!” Ernest suddenly yelled from his highchair, earning the attention of the whole table and then smiled proudly. 

“No of course not,” Jay nodded with a shimmer in her eyes, watching her babies.. 

While the others were now focused on his little brother did Louis’ attention fly back to Harry. He was already watching Louis, a pout decorating his pink lips.

“I know they are horrible,” he mumbled and couldn’t help but lean up and press a soft kiss onto Harry’s welcoming lips. 

“I love our story,” Harry murmured, his lips still moving with Louis’.

“Me too, baby.”

They would’ve gotten lost in the kiss, like they did thousands of times these last eventful days (even with the other boys present, which earned them a lot of catcalls and other stupid remarks which they gracefully ignored) but then they heard their families shift their attention back to them and it didn’t take long until the first gagging noises echoed through the dining room. 

“You are the worst,” Phoebe said with an eyeroll. 

“I don’t care,” Harry announced, proud smile on his lips, and then only to Louis: “As long as we’re the worst together.”

It was sappy and if it wasn’t Harry, Louis would’ve said how disgusting this was, but instead he only grinned lovingly which earned him another kiss from his boyfriend and that’s all he really cared about. 

\- -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Now tell me that wasn't sappy at all) (I literally can't write anything else) (Someone stop me)


End file.
